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Niagen - The Ultimate Guide to Benefits, Research & Dosing

The Fountain of Youth is a spring that purportedly restores youth and vitality to anyone fortunate enough to drink or bathe in its rejuvenating waters. The Fountain came to prominence in the 16th century thanks to Juan Ponce de Leon who searched high and low for it during his voyage to Florida in 1513.

Alas, the Fountain of Youth has yet to be discovered as originally thought; however, groundbreaking research in the field of sports supplements may have unlocked its own potential fountain of youth.

The research is still early, but initial feedback shows that Niagen® may be the golden ticket for reversing aging, boosting metabolism, improving memory, and increasing muscle endurance.

What is Niagen®

Niagen®, also known as nicotinamide riboside (NR), is a naturally-occurring form of vitamin B3. NR was only recently discovered in 2004 vitamin precursor of Nicotinamide Adenine Dinucleotide (NAD+). [1] As a precursor, the body converts NR into NAD+, an essential molecule found in every living cell of the body.

Why is NAD+ So Important

NAD+ is a coenzyme present in all living cells. It serves a vital role along with enzymes that drive a number of reduction-oxidation reactions, moving electrons from one reaction to another. Additionally, NAD+ enables cells to convert the food we consume into usable energy that we need. [2]

NAD+ is also heavily involved in cellular communication where it serves as the communication molecule between the nucleus and the mitochondria, the energy-producing factories of the cell. If NAD+ levels are low, then communication may be impaired and mitochondrial dysfunction may ensue. FYI, mitochondrial dysfunction is a prominent characteristic of aging and age-associated diseases. [3] Keep this in mind going forward, as it'll show up again!

Now that you've got a basic understanding of NAD+ now it's time to dig a little deeper into the specific functions of this crucial coenzyme.

Competition for NAD+

Since NAD+ is involved in some many cellular processes, it should come as no surprise that there is considerable competition within the body for NAD+. In fact, there is a three-way fight for NAD+ stores between sirtuins, PARPs (Poly [ADP-ribose] polymerase), and NAD+ hydrolases.

Where things get even more complicated is when you realize that sirtuins and PARPs, along with NAD+ hydrolases, have diametrically opposing roles in the aging process. Basically, sirtuins act as mediators of increased lifespan, while PARPs and NAD+ hydrolases promote the exact opposite effect.

what's even more interesting is the antagonism between sirutins and PARPs extends even further when you realize that sirtuin-1 (SIRT1) also inhibits PARP1 through deacetylation and they exert opposing activities on cellular proteins. [4][5]

NAD+ and Aging

NAD+ concentrations depend on several variables, including the cellular redox state (NAD+/NADH ratio), as well as the rates of NAD+ production and consumption. Typically, NAD+ is much more plentiful than NADH, so it's expected that variations in NAD+ concentration directly affect sirtuin functioning.

Also, it's important to note that NAD+ concentrations can change depending on various conditions. For example, NAD+ concentrations increase when fasting or during exercise or calorie reduction [6][7][8], whereas NAD+ levels decrease during high-fat diets and during aging. [9][10][11]

The fact that NAD+ concentrations increase under life span-increasing conditions and decrease during aging or under certain conditions that decrease lifespan indicates that NAD+ levels contribute significantly to the aging process. This can be further extrapolated to the idea that NAD+ supplementation potentially combats the aging process; and, in fact, this has been successfully shown in yeast and worms. [12][13]

NAD+ and Obesity

Research has shown that SIRT1 and NAMPT (Nicotinamide Phosphoribosyltransferase - a protein-coding gene) work together to regulate the body's metabolism, including glucose-regulated insulin secretion at pancreatic cells and circadian regulation of NAD+ generation. [14][15] Pancreatic cells and neurons represent a weak point in NAD+ metabolism as these tissues display the lowest amount of NAMPT, the rate-limiting enzyme in the NAD+ salvage pathway. [16]

NAMPT exists in two forms, which appear to oppose each other -- elevated eNAMPT is associated with obesity, type 2 diabetes, and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease [17][18], whereas iNAMPT appears to decrease greatly with age or the presence of the inflammatory cytokine tumor necrosis factor. [19]

NAD+ and Brain Health

it's already been established that NAD+ levels decrease with age, and that low NAD+ levels are associated with metabolic dysfunction and disease. That's not the end of the NAD+ story though.

As it turns out, NAD+ reserves are also linked to brain health. When NAD+ levels decline, there is a subsequent reduction in SIRT-1 and SIRT-3 enzymes which have been linked to neurodegeneration. [20][21][22] Basically, if NAD+ levels decline too much your brain's ability to function at a high level is seriously impaired, not a good thing if you want to stay sharp in your golden years!

Problems with Declining NAD+

we've gone through A LOT of science above, and it can get pretty dizzying, but if we had to distill it to a list of what can go wrong when NAD+ is deficient, this is what can happen:

Cognitive dysfunction [23][24][25]

Inflammation of vascular systems leading to hypertension, heart attack and stroke [26][27][28]

Based on all of these preceding reasons, you can see why it's vitally important to maintain healthy levels of NAD+. Boosting NAD+ levels encourages optimal cellular metabolism, mitochondrial function, and energy production.

The problem comes with how to elevate those levels via supplementation.

The Answer is... Niagen®.

You might be thinking after reading all of this, why do I need Niagen®, can't I just supplement with free form NAD+

In most organisms, NAD+ can be synthesized from compounds present in the body, or from certain amino acids like tryptophan or aspartic acid. It can also be produced from more complex components such as nicotinamide or niacin. However, you simply can't supplement with free from NAD+.

Well, you could, in theory, it just would not be very effective as NAD+ is broken down in the stomach before it can ever make its way to the intestines for absorption into the bloodstream.

However, Niagen is a patented form of Nicotinamide Riboside (NR) that acts as a precursor to NAD+ and has been clinically proven to elevate levels of the critical coenzyme. Niagen is manufactured by Chromadex, and although you may see a variety of products using Niagen, it is all sourced from this manufacturer.

Now, let's take a peek at some of the latest research using this age-reversing ingredient!

Niagen Research

A recent study conducted at Harvard University, by Dr. David Sinclair, found that increasing NAD+ levels was critical to slowing down the aging process by reversing certain markers of aging in our cells, making it a proverbial fountain of youth! [39]

The results suggest that many of the the normal age-related conditions affecting people is due in part to reduced mitochondrial functioning, and that increasing NAD+ levels could potentially restore mitochondrial functioning and therefore turn back the hands of time.

Human Trials

Study #1

Dr. Charles Brenner authored the first human study investigating the effect of different doses of NR on NAD+ levels in humans. [40] One of the fellow researchers on the team, Samuel A.J. Trammel, extensively documented the findings in his Phd dissertation titled Novel NAD+ metabolomic technologies and their applications to Nicotinamide Riboside interventions. [41]

In this study 6 female and 6 male subjects (ages of 30 to 55) were randomized to receive 100, 300, or 1,000mg of Nicotinamide Riboside. Blood levels of NAD+ were measured at 1, 2, 4, 8 and 24 hours following NR supplementation. The test was repeated two more times, with 7 days between testing.

Fig. 1 Dose-dependent effects of NR on the NAD+ metabolome of human subjects.

Researchers found that the 300mg dose was slower to reach peak NAD+ levels in the blood, but approximately equal to the 1,000mg dose at 24 hours. Additionally, the study also that repeated doses of NR do not elevate NAD+ levels beyond the maximum level attained with the first dose -- meaning there is a limit or ceiling to how high NAD+ levels can be elevated via NR supplementation.

These results indicate a ceiling to how high supplementation with NR can raise NAD+ levels.

Study #2

Another clinical trial using the Elysium Health BASIS brand of Nicotinamide Riboside was recently completed, but the findings have not been published as of the writing of this article. Elysium Health did issue a press release though that detailed the objectives as well as the results. [42]

This trial was much larger than the initial human study, as it involved 120 elderly subjects (60-80 years old) tested bi-weekly over 8 weeks. The subjects were divided into 3 groups receiving either placebo, one, or two capsules of BASIS (250 mg of Chromadex NIAGEN), along with 50 mg of Chromadex Pterostilbene.

Results detailed in the press release state that the single 250mg dose of Niagen increased blood NAD+ levels by 40% and that those elevated levels were maintained throughout the 8 weeks of the trial!

The group receiving the 500 mg dose (2 capsules) exhibited an increase that was significantly higher than the 250 mg dose and reached 90% at 4 weeks into the trial. Researchers noted that NAD+ levels plateaued at the 4-week mark, and declined afterward, indicating that a higher dose of NR would not necessarily equate to higher NAD+ levels.

This is in line with the findings from the first study that the sweet spot for Niagen supplementation is between 250-500 mg per day.

The trial using BASIS also measured much more than just NAD+ levels. Researchers tracked several secondary endpoints including:

Body weight

Treadmill performance

Chair standing

Activity performance standards

Once the results of this study are made public, we'll have a better idea as to the truth behind many of the purported benefits of Niagen.

Latest Research

The latest study kicked off March 2016 and will run through December 2016. A total of 140 adult subjects (ages 40 - 60) will participate in the randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled parallel study.

Primary objectives of the study will be to observe the change in levels of Urinary Methylnicotinamide (a Niagen Metabolite) as well as any change in levels of blood, muscle, and urine Nicotinamide Riboside Metabolites. Other outcome measures include any impact (increases or decreases) supplemental Niagen may exert on subjects Resting Metabolic Rate (RMR). [43]

Furthermore, several other clinical studies are being conducted where researchers are studying Niagen's effects on a wide range of attributes including:

Human Studies

As you can see from above, there has not been a wide range of human studies completed, as of yet. Plus, just because a supplement works wonders in mice does not always mean it will perform the same in humans.

However, clinical trials are underway and once the findings of those studies are published, the science and supplement community will have a greater understanding of the power of Niagen.

The human trials that have been completed have shown that Niagen successfully:

Increases NAD+ levels

Protects against hearing damage

So, we know some preliminary benefits of Niagen supplementation and have an idea of what it may do in humans.

Potential benefits

Taking what we've learned about the role of NAD+ in the body and from the preliminary indications of all the completed human and animal research studies, we can come up with a list of benefits to using NR:

Greater cognition

Improved athletic performance

Better memory

Faster metabolic rate

Increased ATP production and availability

Reduced fat storage

Greater insulin sensitivity and nutrient partitioning

Improved heart health

Increased vitality

There are potentially even more benefits, and as Niagen research continues to expand, so will the understanding of its effects.

Niagen Dosing

Human trials so far have used doses ranging from 100mg to 1,000mg. The general consensus from the research indicates that a dose between 250 - 500mg per day is sufficient for adequately elevating NAD+ levels.

Niagen Side Effects

A recent safety assessment looked at all current studies using Nicotinamide Riboside and noted no significant or adverse side effects at dosages up to 3,000 mg per day. [45]

what's more noteworthy, is that one of the hallmark features of NR is that it doesn't cause the unpleasant (and often irritating ) flushing that often occurs when taking high doses of Niacin.[46]

Now, bear in mind that Niagen is still a very new supplement that doesn't have a long history of use or a plethora of research behind it, so always keep an eye out for the latest findings on the ingredient.

Another recent 2016 clinical trial just concluded this time using 120 elderly folks and once the results study of 120 elderly volunteers should be very helpful in determining best therapeutical and maximum recommended dosages. [47]

Where Can I Find Niagen?

Click here to order Ceragen with Niagen nowYou can find Niagen in a number of supplements as well as varying doses (different suppliers will include a certain amount based on their product and what other ingredients are included). Here at Tiger Fitness, you can find Niagen in the following product:

Takeaway

Niagen is a powerful new ingredient that can boost levels of the vitally important coenzyme NAD+. Animal and human research has shown that Niagen successfully elevates NAD+ levels and documented a number of benefits including improved neurological function, resisting the effects of aging, and increased metabolic rate.

Numerous products over the years have promised these same benefits but ultimately failed to live up to the hype. Niagen, on the other hand, has the research showing it is not a scam ingredient.

However, until more research is published, we won't be able to fully understand the power of this revolutionary ingredient.